Has the Finnish women’s hockey national team, which has received a plush grant, developed enough? At least the sports skills have not progressed enough, say Sport’s experts in their analysis.
Safe bronze! Quota medal! Among other things, such words have been used to describe the Olympic distance of the Finnish women’s hockey national team. It has been suggested that despite gambling problems, Finnish women are traveling for a “sure medal” at the Beijing Olympics.
This is not the case, as women’s hockey has been played seven times in the Olympics and Finland has left the medal in the neck Four times.
Criticism has been leveled at the fact that Canada and the United States are virtually sure medal teams in women’s hockey. In addition to Finland, Switzerland or Russia have often played in the bronze match. Level differences between countries are large.
The female lions reached the Olympic bronze on Wednesday when the team defeated Switzerland 4-0.
Sports Expert Saara Niemi thinks that competition at the top of women ‘s hockey will intensify in the next few years, and bronze is no longer a “sure medal” for Finland.
– Finland must close the gap with North America. Other Europeans are moving forward all the time. Bronze is certainly not a matter of course from now on, Niemi said in the sequels of the Sports Studio.
The Ministry of Education and Culture made a decision in 2018, after which the key players of the women’s national team have received a grant of 10,000 euros a year. A grant of 6,000 euros has been awarded to talented young people.
In the 2019 World Championships, Finland played in the final, but in Beijing it once again seemed that the journey to North Americans had been a long one. For example, in the first series, Finland lost to Canada 1–11.
Have the grants made enough progress in four years?
– Sporting skills have not progressed in Finland in the same way as other European teams. Tactically we are still good and the team showed that they can follow the tactics, but the place for more analysis is after the team returns from Beijing, Sports Expert Mira Kuisma said.
Kuisma is the head coach of the girls’ national team. Niemi currently works as the head coach of IFK Helsinki.
– There has been talk of athleticism for a decade now and it is great to see that female lions are top athletes today. That thing has gone ahead, but as Mira said, basic work should definitely be invested at every level, starting with young female hockey players.
Nelli Laitinen is the star of the tournament
Whether thanks to scholarships or not, a few players born in the 21st century at the Beijing Olympics broke into the front row. The brightest star was a 19-year-old defender Nelli Laitinenwhich, according to expert estimates, played even better than more experienced credit defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Ronja Savolainen or Minttu Tuominen.
– In our opinion, Laitinen was the best defender in Finland in this tournament, Kuisma said.
Kuisma has previously described Nelli Lait as a purposeful player who is friendly and well-mannered. Laitinen was on the youth national team coached by Captain Kuisma.
Laitinen will move to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers next fall.
– Three universities were in the final stages as alternatives, but I ended up in Minnesota. Noora Rädy and Mira Jalosuolla has been a good thing to say about the place and I will definitely get support from them in the future, Laitinen said before the Olympic tournament.
There were other young successes.
– Many of the players born in the 21st century did not reach this level at the World Championships six months ago. In Beijing, they seemed to be able to play at the international top of women, Kuisma told Speech on Olympic Radio.
Kuisma cites as examples Viivi Vainikan20, Elisa Holopaisen20, and Sanni Rantalan19, names.
So Finland was not completely Petra Nieminen, Michelle Karvisen and Susanna Tapanin even if the trio scored power points.
Female Lion Points Exchange Tip:
According to Saara Niemi, the strength of the Female Lions was extensive player material. It distinguished Finland from Switzerland, whose tip was equally sharp.
– Finland’s strength in this tournament was that all four fields were able to play at their own good level. The number one chain met high expectations in the final meters and points were awarded. However, I would like to highlight the bronze match Noora Tulus led by a second field by young people Viivi Vainikka and Elisa Holopainen got a taste of the goal and brought a strong puck to the attacking head, Niemi says.
What does the future look like?
Juuso Toivola gets clean papers from experts on her debut as head coach of the Lions. Pasi Mustonen had to leave home for family reasons already after the opening match and Toivola, who acted as his assistant coach, jumped into his new, already agreed role as head coach before his time.
– It wasn’t an easy start in a new wash. Toivola suddenly became the head coach of the second game and two matches went under the bar, but I raise my hat to get Toivola fixed. The team’s game changed completely as the tournament progressed, Niemi said.
Toivola will continue to develop the play of female lions towards the 2026 Olympics.
If the praised young players continue to develop as expected, Finland can have a good team in those competitions.
– The young players will be more experienced in four years and there will be more young people. I see the future of Female Lions bright, Kuisma says.
– Many more experienced players have made follow-up agreements to Sweden, which means that they are not finishing yet, at least, Niemi says.
The career of one of the more experienced players ended at the Beijing Olympics when Tanja Niskanen said with tears in his eyes that he was ending his career.
It remains to be seen whether the more experienced strikers in the No. 1 chain, Captain Hiirikoski and partners, will continue their careers for the next Olympics for another four years.